The BG baseball team made sure Coach Danny Schmitz would not have to wait any longer for his 600th career victory Saturday.
The Falcons defeated the University of Akron Zips two out of three games in the weekend series, including a doubleheader sweep on Saturday. BG won the first game 14-6 and the second game 5-1.
“601 was more important than 600 today,” Schmitz said after the second game of the doubleheader. “Because that meant the Falcons had a good day today.”
The team’s six-game winning streak came to an end in the final game of the series on Sunday, when it lost to the Zips 7-3.
The first game of the Saturday doubleheader marked Schmitz’s 600th career victory, marking only the third time in Mid-American Conference history that the feat has been reached by a baseball head coach.
Game one of the series showcased an offensive burst by the Falcons. After giving up three runs on two errors in the top of the third inning, BG responded with a nine run bottom third inning, in which the Falcons totaled five hits against Akron starting pitcher J.T. Brubaker and relief pitcher Andrew Fanning.
BG then secured its big lead with two runs in the fourth inning and one run in the fifth.
First baseman Jeremy Shay took the spotlight in the first game by hitting four times in his five plate appearances. Shay scored three runs and recorded four RBIs during the first game against the Zips.
BG starting pitcher Cody Apthorpe earned his fourth win of the season after pitching five innings and relief pitcher Ethan McKenney earned his second save of the season after pitching four innings of relief and giving up no runs.
The second game of the doubleheader was the opposite of the first.
BG starting pitcher Mike Frank had a no-hitter going into the seventh inning before it was broken up by Akron center fielder Devan Ahart, hit a single with one out. Ahart would also break up Frank’s shutout after scoring off a double from left fielder Jared Turocy in the same inning.
The Falcons scored three runs in the bottom of the fourth, one in the bottom of the fifth and a final run in the bottom of the eighth, defeating the Zips 5-1.
The series finale brought the Falcons their first loss since April 7 against Eastern Michigan University.
BG managed to put three runs on the board by the beginning of the sixth inning but Akron brought its best bats to face BG pitcher Trevor Blaylock. The Zips scored four of their seven runs against Blaylock, who earned his seventh loss of the year on Sunday.
With its two wins and one loss, BG boosts its record to 13-20 (8-7) and Akron falls to 9-28 (6-9).
The Falcons will be back in action on Tuesday when they travel to Cincinnati to take on Xavier University and then host Wright State University at home on Wednesday.
